


Dog Eat Dog

by MischiefMakingMagpie



Series: The Badlands [1]
Category: Borderlands
Genre: Angst, Bounty Hunters, F/M, Multi, Rival Romance, Skags, Slow Burn, Smut, Vault Hunters - Freeform, Violence, bandits, drama bomb, everyone is a pain in the butt, good family fun, more tags to come, multi chapter fic, rakks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-07
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2018-04-08 05:50:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4293129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MischiefMakingMagpie/pseuds/MischiefMakingMagpie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bounty hunting has it's perks and it's downsides. When you finish a job you get paid, if you ain't fast enough someone else gets the loot. Vault hunting also has its perks, possible riches beyond your wildest dreams, glory, all that jazz. You might just have to split the profit…and deal with anyone standing in your way. Vex isn't one for sharing, and she prefers not to work in groups, and she certainly doesn't like people stealing her bounties. However a deal of this magnitude might not be one to pass up; also her head might be on the line so there's that. </p><p>Part 1 of The Badlands Series.</p><p>Mordecai/OC</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dog Eat Dog

**Author's Note:**

> First character of this bad boy, I've got the first part of this series planned out but I'm a bit slow when it comes to updating, hopefully with the outline done it should speed things along. Anyways first chapter, starts off a bit slow but it'll be sure to pick up.

She kicked at the dirt around her most recent kill, looking to see if anything of value had been dropped. Nothing...Quickly she popped the empty shells from her gun and loaded in new rounds. Flipping the barrel shut she thumbed the safety and holstered the still smoking weapon. 

She took the moment of quietness to take a breather. Settling herself down on a large boulder a good enough distance away from the recent carnage, deciding to take stock. 

Taking a large gulp form her canteen the dark haired woman shrugged off her pack and began rifling through it. This trip had taken longer than she had expected and the loot along the way had been nothing to write home about. In fact it had been down right shitty. Setting her supplies out on her rocky perch, she drummed her fingers irritably against her thigh. She realized how royally screwed she might have been if the outpost wasn’t just a few more miles. She was almost out of ammo; and she’d rather avoid having to get up close and personal in order to bash someone’s head in with the butt of an empty shotgun. 

She had used her last grenade on a makeshift barricade the bandits had put up on the main road.Lucky it had taken most of it’s constructors with it.

Her food supplies weren't horrible but she was fucking tired of tough Skag jerky and canned beans.

The only thing that seemed to be alright were her water stores. She took another swig from the canteen before capping it. With a grunt she quickly shoved everything back into her pack before standing. 

She’d reach the outpost in a little over an hour, and if she was lucky she’d avoid any further confrontation with the local wildlife and psychos.

___________ 

Two hours later and smelling worse than she could possibly imagine Vex finally walked into town. Today... had not been kind. 

Stumbling across a Skag den on her short trek she had run out of bullets before being able to deal with the lot of them. 

She was forced to run with her tail between her legs and in her haste had stumbled down a small knoll and landed in a pile of filth. Luckily her fall had uncovered a rusty unused grenade and she had been able to finish off the stragglers. 

Popping open her shotgun she gingerly took the dented bullet from the barrel, and tucked it gently back into her breast pocket. Patting the stowed away bullet she pulled up the town map on her ECHO device, quickly pinpointing the bar. Praying that they also functioned as a room rental or at least knew a place in town she began her brisk walk.

Walking through town was an experience, if the unkempt locals were turning their noses up at her smell that was saying something. When she had stalked into the bar, even a few of the men at the door took a few steps back. She doubted she'd even get that quick of a reaction with a gun pointed in someones face.

Leaning against the counter the woman motioned for the bartender; he looked extremely uncomfortable coming over to her.

“What can I do for ya ma’am? “ he said tightly, not even bothering trying to fake a smile.

“Yeah, do you have a room here for rent? preferably one with a shower...even a sink?” she asked.

“Erm no not here...” she leaned closer to him and he quickly floundered for a better answer while trying not to gag. “I mean not here but there’s a place n’ town. They take in all sorts if yer willin’ to pay.”

“Where?” she pressed.

“Jus’ down the road a bit, should have a half lit up sign in the window.”

With that she pushed away from the bar.

“Thanks buddy; be back later.” making her hasty escape trough the front door, the dark haired woman made a quick beeline down the road.

___________ 

Only one of the letters was still lit up on the sign when she walked through the door of the motel. 

The man at the desk quickly perked up, undoubtably pleased to have a costumer. He didn’t even comment on the smell when she forked over a wade of cash for a room.

The accommodations were just a disastrous as she expected them to be. 

A musty old cot that looked like it had been there since the colonization; water stains lined the ceiling. And mismatched wallpaper sat brown and peeling on the walls. 

She didn’t care, the only thing that mattered to her right now was it had a working shower.

The bathroom was in just as rough shape as the room, cracked tiles and mildewy walls. She quickly stripped, making sure to empty her pockets of valuables; planning on washing the dirtied articles when she was done.

The shower head was crusted in calcium deposits and the spray was weak and lukewarm. But she was certain nothing in her life had ever felt this good as the water beat down on her and she watched as the filth ran off her body and down the drain. 

The stall even had a small slimy bar of soap that smelled strongly of lye and cheap perfume. She could have kissed it; she didn’t; but she could’ve.

When the water finally turned cold, she grabbed her clothes and threw them under the chilly spray and scrubbed them viciously. Draping them over the curtain rod that lacked a curtain, she allowed herself to air dry as she walked around the cramped room. 

She sniffed at the bed, and deemed it alright to use and quickly spread herself out on the cover with a satisfied groan. It had been too long since she had actually stayed in a bed, spending most of her time roughing it in the wasteland. Sand wasn’t all that bad, and if you put a blanket down it was decent. But nothing compared to a bed, as lumpy as the mattress was.

Vex allowed herself to doze as her clothes dried, simply enjoying her brief down time before continuing to business as usual. A few hours later, her clothes were still damp but wearable and she quickly dressed and shoved a few items into her pockets along with a good amount of cash. She’d hit up the local weapons and ammo machines first before making her way back to the bar. 

___________ 

Stocked up on ammo, and even a few new upgrades, she felt on top of the fucking world as she marched towards the bar. Pushing the door open with more force then necessary she strode in liked she owned the place. The bartender looked up at at the sound of the door knob slamming into the wall, adding to the already impressive hole forming in the worn plaster.

“Hey, watch it! you break it you fuckin’ buy it!” he growled.

She swung her legs over the closest stool and plopped down. The man hesitated for a moment; he remembered her earlier visit. 

“Yea, washed off.” she commented boredly.

He seemed pleased at that and wobbled over.

“What can I get ya?” he leaned on the countertop. 

“Well, first...” she pulled a crinkled, folded up piece of paper from her back pocket and set it on the counter, slipping it towards the man.

He eyed her suspiciously, before looking back down at the piece of paper.

“Yes I obviously soaked it in poison.” she commented, resting her elbows on the sticky surface before her. “It’s a fuckin piece of paper.”

The bartender scowled at her and snatched up the parchment. 

She was certain she heard him mutter “bitch” under his breath as he unfolded the paper.

He looked at it for a moment studying the picture and writing before directing his attention to her again.

“Yer a bounty hunter.” he said flatly. 

“Bingo.” her lips quirking slightly. She liked that title.

He looked at the picture for a few seconds longer before he sneered handing her the bounty back roughly.

“Looks likes yer shit outta luck girly.” 

Vex frowned and snatched up the crumpled paper.

“Yea? and why’s that?”

“That fucker’s already dead, bounty was collected yesterday.” he replied with a chuckle.

“Is that so?” she grit out.

“Bullet right through his fuckin' skull.” 

Shoving the offending paper back into her pocket she drummed her fingers against the counter irritably.

She had come all this way for nothing, used up a good amount of her supplies and cash, for nothing. She let out a harsh exhale through her nose.

“Now..can I get ya anything else?” the bartender said; the fucker was still chortling to himself.

Vex paused and worked her jaw before her lips curled into a vicious smile.

“Yeah get me a fuckin’ drink, strongest shit you have.”


End file.
